how to bring booze back

[Lachase]

Was just wondering how anyone CAN bring booze back with the airline regulations as they are now? You can't bring liquid carry-ons now can you? Do you pack the booze you buy or ship it in which case wouldn't it make the price more expensive than just buying it in the states? What is the best method?

[smeyer418]

The best method is not to have to fly when you get off the ship. They will pack it for you in cardboard boxes. You need to pack it yourself in your checked luggage. Breakage is a problem. You can get the airline to mark them fragile but generally this doesn't help. If you are going to buy, bring an extra bag along. Pack bubble wrap to put them in and a couple of plastic bags to wrapped around them so if they break they don't get on everyone else's clothes.

[YoJo19]

It can go in your checked baggage. If it's a clear liquid then I will just wrap it in whatever I have to protect it from the rough handling. If it's not a clear liquid I put it into a big ziplock bag and wrap it in whatever I have to protect it such as clothing. I also try to get it as close to the center of the bag as I can. I've never had anything break yet, but that doesn't mean it won't happen.

[NRWPA]

Last cruise I requested the gift shop clerk to double protect the liquor I bought. He packed it up with extra cardboard in carry boxes. I packed the boxes into my suitcases making sure there were clothes on every side of the boxes to cushion any bumps. Everything got home safely.

[retiredonthesea]

You can pack it in your checked luggage. We always buy the two gallon size zip lock bags and put the bottles inside them and always bring some bubble wrap and tape. Never have had anything break YET. Just make sure you leave room in your luggage or have an extra roomy carry-on that you can put things from your larger luggage into it to make space for your bottles. We also use hardside luggage for breakables. If you buy on the ship they will pack it pretty good for you.

 

Retiredonthesea

[YoJo19]

I thought I should also add that the more full your luggage is, the less room it will have to jiggle around in there and break.

[salty dingo]

I have seen a lot of liquor boxes checked as luggage, and they come through baggage claim soaked because the contents is busted.

 

Last cruise, I took home several liters of alcohol, and I took great care to wrap them in cardboard and packed them between clothes. One bottle did break in the luggage, and I figure that wiped out all the savings, not to mention the mess I was left with.

 

The fact is, you are limited in how many bottles you can bring back, and if you do the math, you are not going to save much money, really, even at the duty free prices. It is tempting, but for the $10 or $20 you will save, you will have a lot of headaches in flying with it - the weight for one. If you are driving, great, but if you are flying, my advice is to avoid packing liquor in glass bottles.

[CanadianTwosome]

I think it's worth it if you're buying something 'different'. We brought back a bottle of cashew wine from Belize - packed it well in a carry on sized bag and checked it. Otherwise I agree that I wouldn't risk the breakage. Of course, that's easy for me to say, since no matter where I cruise, I have to fly home internationally and I can just pop into duty free at the airport and have my liquor brought to the gate for me... :)

[MonaCK]

We have securely packed our liquor in our luggage, packed in with the dirty clothes, and no trouble. We also have hard sided luggage, so that made the difference.

 

The cruise before that, we drove to the port (unexpectedly). About halfway through the cruise, people realized we had a car with us and could drive everyone's alcohol home. ;)

[Globaliser]

Do you pack the booze you buy or ship it in which case wouldn't it make the price more expensive than just buying it in the states? What is the best method?

I simply pack it in checked baggage. You have to be careful to make sure that the bottle is well supported throughout and mechanically insulated from the outside and from anything hard or sharp inside. But I have packed half a dozen wine bottles into a standard suitcase, and got them half way around the world, more than once - and much more often have taken two or three bottles.

[salty dingo]

We brought back a bottle of cashew wine from Belize

 

Did you get that cashew wine from Yhony? He passed around a bottle on the tubing bus, and I have to say that was some of the nastiest vinegar I ever tasted. I hope you got a better vintage! :D

[bacardi1224]

when in brazil this past year my bf and I discovered a delicious liquor (Cachaça) that we wanted to bring home for our friends/family as well as ourselves. In total we brought 6 bottles back with no breakage. All we used was newspaper and plastic grocery bags :o)

[CrystalWater]

I have done this so many times. It's so simple. Make sure your luggage isn't overweight to start with. Pack bubble wrap and strapping tape. Wrap the bottles tightly, stick between clothes in your check in luggage for the airlines and never ever once a problem with breakage or loss. Not one. Very simple.